Walled Towns created by Villa ORANGE

Villa Orange:The delightful medieval town of Soave rises at the foot of the Lessinia Mountains. The town has many medieval characteristics, from the castle to the several palazzos built during that period. The castle dominates the whole territory, and the walls completely enclose the old town. The walls have 24 imposing towers Soave’s castle is a typical medieval military construction. It is formed by a tall, central tower, around which the castle walls rotate, enclosing three courtyards. Walls then descend from the castle to encircle the town. Over time, various bitter battles for possession of the castle took place. In 1517, the town was symbolically given to the representative of Venice Andrea Gritti, who would later be elected Doge. From this moment began a long period of peace, which lasted nearly three centuries, until the arrival of Napoleon in 1796.

Villa Orange:The construction of the wall started in 1372. The castle at the top of the hill is castello superiore and the castle in the town is castello inferiore. The magnificent Piazza degli Scacchi hosts and on the second weekend of September in even years a live chess match. It’s the story of the Lionara, daughter of Castellano di Marostica and the two young rivals Rinaldo and Vieri who both wnt to mary her. An amazing theater and absolutely worth to be there.

Villa Orange:Castelfranco is a walled city from the 12th century, built on an existing dike. The structure of the city is a perfect square with walls of 17 meters high and 4 corner towers. The settlement is surrounded by a large moat. The bell tower of the cathedral was built in 1246. In this period Ezzelio III (nickname: the tyrant) took over the city. Then the city was conquered by the Republic of Venice. Since 1499 the great lion of San Marco stands on the tower out of loyalty to this republic. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Villa Orange:Cittadella has a perfectly preserved city wall. Since a few years it is possible to take a walk on the city wall, 15 m high and 2 km long. Beautiful view over the surrounding landscape; the Euganei hills, Berici mountains and Marostica, Asolo and Monte Grappa. https://www.historiatravel.it/ ticket; Ufficio Turistico IAT Cittadella, Via Porte Bassanesi 2, Cittadella.

Villa Orange:In addition to the beautifully preserved city walls of 2 km, Montagnana is also known for delicacies such as Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo and the Merlara DOC wine. That makes it a wonderful destination in every way! The assignment to construct the city walls came in the fourteenth century from the Carraresi, who were then in charge of this region.

Villa Orange:The first described document of the castle of Marquis Alberto Azzo d'Este comes from 1115. The castle is situated on the top of a hill. Around this period the castle has been renovated and expanded with the necessary fights and disputes between the different marquises. In 1249 Ezzelino III da Romano took over the town and he provided a large walled enclosure. The construction of the present walls took almost a century. The current city walls, dating from the 14th century, stretch for one kilometre. The walls are one and a half meters wide and 12 rectangular towers.

Villa Orange:The Walls of Padua are a complex of defensive works around the Italian city of Padua, designed to defend it from hostile attack. It was built in 4 phases.

Villa Orange:The building of the medieval town’s defences was completed in the fourteenth century, when Asolo became the object of bitter, continuous struggles between the noble families of Verona, Padua and Venice. The first definite wall-building activities were recorded in 1318. Decisive for the definitive form of the wall was the Paduan dominion of Asolo in 1381 and 1388. The circuit of the walls was not limited to including the entire tightly settled area and the castle complex, but it extended as far as the fortress at the top of Mount, that thus became a physical part of the town and its privileged point of strategic value, both as a watch tower and for defensive purposes. The circuit of the walls stretched 1360 metres with 24 towers at strategic points and several gates and doors where the roads leading into and out of the town passed through.

Villa Orange:Conegliano is located in the land of the prosecco and is the birthplace of the painter Giambattista Cima. The historic center of the city shows a rich past; beautiful palazzi, ancient arcades, cobbled alleys. There is one street that goes along the old walls to the castle of the city. The old castle dates from the 12th century.

Villa Orange:Portobuffolè is a small medieval village. The history of Portobuffolè began in Roman times and ended in the hands of the Republic of Venice. The village is nice to discover during an antique market that is held every month. Portobuffolè was an important commercial and economic center. For this reason many bankers from Venice moved here. Many of them were Jews and some even came from France and Germany, where they were hunted for the spread of the plague. Subsequently, a synagogue appeared in the village, which is now the cathedral. In 1480, some Jews were falsely accused of infanticide and sentenced to be burned at the stake in Saint Mark's Square in Venice. The city then forbade the entire Jewish community to live here. Today there is a commemorative plaque in Hebrew in memory of this.